Former IPL player threatened to kill me, my daughter: Paes

Omkar Khandekar

Tennis star’s FIR alleges Atul Sharma confronted him at Bandra family court on Tuesday. Last year, he had accused latter of an affair with former live-in partner Rhea Pillai, whom he is fighting for daughter’s custody.

Tennis icon Leander Paes has filed a complaint with the Bandra Kurla Complex police station alleging that cricketer Atul Sharma, a former player for Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals, threatened to kill him and his six-year-old daughter when they were at the family court in Bandra on October 14.

Paes, who is locked in a bitter battle with his erstwhile live-in partner Rhea Pillai for the custody of their daughter, said in his complaint that both of them were attending a counselling session on the fifth floor of the court building.

“Sharma has been booked under IPC sections 506 (2) (criminal intimidation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace),” Senior PI K V Nighade said.

Police said Paes, who approached BKC police station at night on October 14 and submitted the complaint application, has maintained that the threat was made without any immediate provocation. However, the tennis star had earlier accused Sharma of having an affair with Pillai in an affidavit filed in 2013, in which he had alleged that Pillai was having an affair with a “close male friend”.

Earlier this year, Rhea had filed a case of domestic violence against Paes. In the same month, Paes had filed a petition in the court seeking permanent custody of their daughter.

Police said though they haven’t been able to get in touch with Sharma yet, investigations are on and eyewitnesses are being questioned to verify the claims. In spite of repeated attempts by Mirror, Paes remained unavailable for comment.

In May 2013, cracks in the couple’s relationship surfaced with rumours of an imminent break-up doing the rounds. Paes filed an affidavit in the Bandra family court in which he stated that Pillai was an “uncaring” mother, besides accusing her of having an affair.

Though the couple ended their relationship, they continued staying in the same house and a legal battle for alimony and custody of their daughter ensued. Pillai has demanded Rs 4 lakh per month in maintenance. In May 2014, Pillai filed a complaint with Bandra police station alleging Paes didn’t allow her to enter their house when she returned late at night.